A small note: I believe I mentioned, in the prologue of this story, that I know the fluffy thing Sess drags around isn't a tail - my guess at the time was a boa – but that I would treat it as a tail for the duration of the story because it was funner. Mwahahaha...

(This has, by the way, nothing to do with the fact that it is more 'fun' to write being wrapped in a large furry tail than an enormous scarf...(innocent smilie))

:: No need for... ::

Sesshoumaru quickly scanned the page held firmly in his hand, partially shielding it from the beginning of the rain with his body. This seemed simple enough….a few words, and, of course, blood. (Why else would it be called a blood bond?) Somehow, he doubted that he'd have a problem getting Kagome's – his would be no problem either.

Mind made up, Sesshoumaru bent down to the ground, and peered worriedly at Kagome. "Please, Kagome. Do you remember that bond, the one you wanted me to agree with?"

"…Yes."

"Then…please let me try it. Tenseiga is gone. You…you're… And…I don't want to lose you."

"..Sure thing, Sesshoumaru." Kagome gave him a weak smile, and then her eyes began drooping closed again.

Sure, sure thing. They were going to do that blood thingy, and then kick Damia's ass…

Kagome moaned softly as a hand grabbed her own. It hurt...why it hurt, she had no idea, but it was muffled – she could sleep it off...

"Kagome...Kagome!" Sesshoumaru...?...what did he want? She'd almost been asleep, and he kept waking her up...rude of him...she just wanted to sleep in a few more minutes – maybe the exam would vanish in the meantime. Souta had school too, he'd get her up...

"Wha..'sis?"

"Please, Kagome. Please listen to me." Someone was pleading with her to pay attention. Kagome didn't get it – math wasn't that important, was it?

Kagome wanted to ask him who he was, and what had he done with the real Sesshoumaru, but couldn't find the energy for it – she was too nice and sleepy to move. "Listening."

"I have a way to save you. But you have to listen. Please."

Maybe it was Inuyasha, not Sesshoumaru. What one earth would he be saving her for, or asking permission about?

"...say this, come on, repeat it..."

..it was wet!

Kagome muttered something about giving him permission to do whatever little project he had in mind, and then tried to tune Inuyasha out. He could figure it out later...

"..and...this...this...exact phrase...when I say you should..." Sure, sure, whatever. She didn't know why Sesshoumaru was dictating her miko lessons now – maybe Kaede had gotten him to help with her learning so they could go get Damia. Why had she been thinking he was Inuyasha? No problem, she'd do it...Kagome just wished she wasn't so tired. She was sure she'd gone to bed early last night, too.

Sesshoumaru, with some difficulty, kept his breathing even and refrained from giving into temptation and just crying in frustration. Rain dotted his face, trickling down his cheeks – it wouldn't have mattered if he did or not. Rain, water, and the dark of night. It was hard to read the neat kanji on the page, even with his eyes.

Nature had a sadist's sense of humor.

She was making no sense! He couldn't do anything, not if she was like this...! He was so afraid, so scared he'd mess this up, that he'd lose her...

If he did...

Sesshoumaru knew he wouldn't care about anything after that. The fact she was gone, that Rin was gone, that Damia was still alive, would be the only realities left.

He'd destroy Damia, but it would be an empty victory. It wouldn't bring her back...either of them back...

He shook his head. Kagome wasn't dead yet, and it did him little good to reminisce over Rin.

He had to try to save her, somehow. What on earth they ended up doing to save her didn't matter, so long as she was alive at the end of it. If she messed up saying her own part, it was okay, just as long as...

Sesshoumaru didn't know how to do what Damia had done to Mesau, and possibly those two other girls. That, he knew, was a slave's bond, and did not need participation – just blood, and a way to mark the unlucky miko. He might have tried that just because it was more sure – he could not guarantee that Kagome would be able to fulfill her half of this. He wouldn't have kept something like that, of course; a slave bond, on Kagome? Ridiculous! He was enraged that Damia had even begun to think of it.

He was worried for Kagome, though. He was sure he had caught something about Inuyasha, an alarm clock, and school in there somewhere…

He knew it was the only way to go, though. So he just had to hope, and pray for the best. Kagome...he knew he had to finish this soon, or it would be too much for even his added strength to save her...he just hoped it was not too late already...

He set the paper down, tucking it away in his own top this time. Sesshoumaru carefully curled his hand around Tetsusaiga, and deliberately pressed his hand into the blade. Blood welled up along the cut, and belatedly, he wished he had two hands. It would have made this easier by far... but no matter. There was no use wishing for things he did not have at this point. He had no Tenseiga, and no arm. Simple fact. Move on... Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, and drew his hand away from the sharp blade, red welling up along his palm. Blood to blood, strength to strength, and life to life.

'Inochinotsuna wa inochinotsuna'

And then Kagome smiled up at him, and said the same thing he had been thinking back to him.

"Inochinotsuna wa inochinotsuna"

And Sesshoumaru reached out his hand, and grasped for hers.

'Blood to blood, strength to strength: life to life.'

"Inochinotsuna wa inochinotsuna"

He held on tightly, fearfully; what if it was too late already? Her hand was so cold…He couldn't...

Sesshoumaru shivered, afraid for Kagome, and praying she would be alright, that she would be okay, that this was truly the way to save her...

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Sorai crept though the bushes on silent feet. Upwind, she could tell that Tosa's camp had been set up. Distantly, she could still hear arguing.

"No! That is not how you treat those clothes, Tosa. I spent far too long trying to get them fitted – I'm not going to go though that again." Sorai thought that was Satsuma, calm voice betraying only a minimal amount of irritation, and long-suffering.

"Agreed" Tosa began muttering, something about evil, official, and fittings. Sorai could barely make out what he was saying.

Sorai covered her hand with her mouth, to stop herself from smiling at the distant yelling, and glanced back at the miko on her back. The poor girl was exhausted, and had fallen asleep sometime in the flight. All the better for Sorai – she sympathized, but all those tears had been a bit much to deal with.

"Botan... Botan. Wake up. We're there." Sorai smiled as she said this. The whole trip here had been one long worry after another. Was Damia too close behind? Had she caught up to Sesshoumaru? Could Sorai get there in time…?

At least they were here - all that was past now. She still worried, but for now, she would focus on getting close to Tanuma and stating her case.

Botan stirred. "We're there? Where is there?" She looked confused, and whipped at her puffy eyes.

"The Southern encampment."

"Indeed."

Sorai raised an eyebrow and forced herself to refrain from jumping a foot in the air like Botan just had. Dratted Tanuma, surprising her like that…

Tanuma strode out of the shadows where he had been hiding, dropping the kitsune illusion of nothing there on the way. "I would have thought you, and Damia, would be hot on the trail to Aizu by now. What brings you here?"

It was not a question – it was a demand, and a challenge. Sorai really had no reason to be there, other than to spy, in his opinion. He was making that abundantly clear.

Sorai took a deep breath, and decided to gamble. "Sesshoumaru. That is why I am here."

Tanuma tensed ever so slightly – Sorai might have missed it had she not been looking for it. On her back, Botan slid off, and stood on her own on wobbly legs. It seemed that with distance, Damia could not control her quite as much, or draw as much power. Sorai was glad of that.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes. Sesshoumaru. He's not as dead as I thought." Sorai laughed a little, saddened. "Damia must have done something underhanded to get the throne for sure, then. I rather thought she had, but…I had no proof."

She still don't know what had happened to Sesshoumaru after all this time. And he had had that woman with him...but that was not for her to say. She knew he would not have left the West to Damia over a woman. It wasn't for her to judge, and she trusted him enough to think there was more to it than met the eye. Sorai supported Sesshoumaru yet.

She looked at Tanuma, who was still on edge. He didn't know what side she was on, she realized. At least he was allowing her time to speak before acting. If he didn't like the answer….well, she'd end up running from both an angry Damia, and an angry kitsune. Not fun. And not going to help Sesshoumaru.

"I came back to camp, and Damia was trying to kill him. Sesshoumaru ran, with a badly injured woman. I distracted her long enough to let him escape, before leaving myself."

Botan wiped her eyes. "Kagome-sama. That's who he had with him. Damia never told me not to tell you about Kagome. Please save her!" She bowed very low to Tanuma, nearly overbalancing on her shaky legs.

Tanuma blinked. "Damia told you not to tell…?"

"Damia is entirely too fond of stealing power form others, in my opinion." Sorai answered his question. "Mesau, Botan here, and another are being used. Mesau might have agreed to it, but Momiji and Botan definitely did not. Will you help me, and Sesshoumaru?"

Tanuma closed his eyes briefly. "Sesshoumaru, and a human woman named Kagome, being attacked by Damia…this almost begs the question of whether all those rumors were true…" He was testing Sorai. Tanuma didn't want her appearance to be some part of a larger trap. Damia may well have sent her to find out what his position was, and what he knew about Sesshoumaru's reappearance. Best hide that knowledge till he could tell if Sorai was sincere. He thought she was, but….he would not underestimate her. Too many had done that and deeply regretted it. The smaller youkai named Sorai did not look dangerous – small, and delicate. Good enough with a blade, but not a star. But it would be folly to forget the mental dexterity that had given her her title...

Sorai drew a deep breath. "The girl, Kagome, is the Shikon miko. She bore no love for him last that I knew. Rather the opposite. I think they were working together, not eloping, but I have no proof, and no idea why she was even there. Probably working against Damia, but I don't know for sure. There was no time for talk. Regardless, Sesshoumaru alive is worth much more to you and your masters than dead."

"True, true." Tanuma let out a smile. "That is enough questions for now. I believe you are sincere. Come with me."

Botan shivered as the latest youkai led them both towards an encampment – with more youkai in it. And all of them were powerful, as powerful as Damia…scary...

This was getting really scary, all these youkai. A miko was supposed to kill those youkai that harmed people, she knew. Not all were bad, she had learned, but some were. She did not know about these ones yet.

"Ah, Tanuma, just the man…who's that?" Tosa squinted at Sorai, before blinking. "Satsuma, we have a guest."

"Sorai tells me that Sesshoumaru has gotten into a bit of trouble, Tosa. Satsuma." Tanuma nodded at each of his leaders, and his face was grave. "Damia found him, and Kagome."

"What?! He was just going to get that silly sword, wasn't he? Ran off when my back was turned..." Tosa shook his head, before muttering "Silly man can't stay out of trouble worth shit. And Kagome…as bad as he is!"

Behind him, Satsuma shook her head. Sesshoumaru…she was worried for him. She had been slightly annoyed when he had run off to get Tetsusaiga on his own, without an escort. And now...worry some.

Tosa started giving orders. "Get those tents down – leave everything that isn't important. We're going!"

Sorai watched, and then frowned. Tanuma…..he'd just been stringing her along; he'd known about Sesshoumaru all along.

So the Shikon miko had been working with him. Fears of eloping with someone were somewhat salved. From the sounds of things, Sesshoumaru had taken Kagome with him and just gone on a quick errand for a sword…possibly Tetsusaiga…? When he was ambushed. He would not have been prepared, nor ready. Damia had picked her time of attack well.

"Wait a minute. You still don't know what her plan is." Sorai held up a finger. "I came because of that as well. Botan. Tell us what you were privy to."

"I…can't tell you." Botan frowned at Sorai, before her face brightened. "But I can tell them!"

She shrugged. "Damia told me not to tell you, and much as I don't like it…I can't get around that stupid bond. You can overhear by accident, though."

"She wants Kagome-sama. I don't know who Sesshoumaru is, but she wants to kill him too. She wants poor Kagome-sama, so she can do the same thing to her that she did to us…"

Botan held up her arm, slipping the sleeve back to show the jagged, new scar. "I hate her. She had no right to do that!" The look on her face was pure fury. "All I was doing was getting water for the night, and they grabbed me, and I wasn't quick enough to fight them off. My sister…Momiji came out running, after me. We were both caught, and held. Mesau helped Damia do that."

Tanuma winced slightly. "Kagome…heh. I doubt she'd be pleased with Damia... So Mesau helped her do that. You didn't join of your own will, like her?"

"No! Why would I do that? That's crazy!" Botan fumed at him. Who did he think she was, some sort of dark miko?

Satsuma sighed, and shook her head. "So what do you propose we do, then…Sorai?" She turned to the defecting spymisstress questioningly.

"I think we need to go after Sesshoumaru first, and be on the lookout for Damia. I can get you to where the fight was. At an old well, in a clearing close to a human village. I believe it's the one Kagome was known to frequent. We can pick up the rail there. Damia is probably already following him, or I."

"…I wonder where the Shikon went, if Damia was after the Shikon miko." Satsuma wondered. "Did she get that, I wonder?"

"Shikon…? No, she seemed angry that it wasn't there, actually. Thats one good thing." Botan frowned. "Are you going to help Kagome, or not?"

"Yes, we will, child, don't worry." Satsuma smiled at Botan. "Tosa. Stop sputtering like a chicken, and get moving."

Behind her, Tosa stopped fiddling with the tent, and then straightened up. He grabbed his favorite, worn belt, with katana attached to it, and grinned.

Hey, maybe he wouldn't have to wear dress clothes now…!

"Right. Okay, then. Tanuma, and you three – come with me. Satsuma, are you coming with us or staying?"

"Going, of course." Satsuma sent him an arch look, picking up a water bottle and a pack of food, tossing them to Sorai. "Apologies for his lack of hospitality. You can eat as we move, I hope?"

"Of course…" Sorai easily caught the skin of water and the package of travel food, splitting them with Botan.

Three of the guards came with them – Botan was allowed to perch on one of them, still nibbling on the food, so that Sorai, already tired, would be able to get there faster, leading the way.

Rather quickly, everyone was ready, and they left. The campsite was abandoned, except for the two guards left behind to pack up, and slowly begin moving all the extra baggage towards Aizu, on their own. The rest of the people who had set out after Sesshoumaru and Kagome would arrive in Aizu when they arrived.

11111111111111111111111

Damia swore as the cart caught on a branch behind her. Again. This was slow going….

But at least the trail was clear. She could smell the blood Kagome had left in her wake fairly easily, though the rain had dampened it a bit. Damia judged they were a good few hours behind the wounded miko, yet. Overhead, the sky grew darker, as the sun finally dipped below the horizon. The blood was about an hour old, maybe more. In this light, and this rain, the trail wasn't the easiest to follow.

At this rate, they would never catch up….but she couldn't really leave the two miko behind. Momiji, still not broken in yet, would probably do whatever she could to stick a spoke in the wheels, and Mesau was in no condition to stop her.

At least Mesau was able to move, now. Before she'd been reduced to a crawl. The shattered leg hadn't healed properly, but it would do for now.

Damia wondered how she was going to save the situation. Tosa might even be in Aizu by now, working everyone against her. Ezo was hers, in all but name – a puppet. But she still had a mind of her own, and if she regained control, it would be the West against three domains…

Her hopes for getting Choshu on her side were slight, now. He picked the winning side, and, as Damia was now painfully aware, she was not winning. Maybe there still was a way to fix it, maybe she could still arrive before Tosa, and try to turn the tides. It all depended on the situation, on what could be done.

She would just have to see what things were like when she got there, and fly by the seat of her pants.

Soon, she'd catch up to Sesshoumaru. And then, she'd finish him off. She wondered if Kagome was even still alive, but she couldn't be too far from dead, by now. It would just be him….Sesshoumaru, run to ground, and either a dead, or near dead, miko.

Grimly, Damia pressed on.

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Sesshoumaru continued to hold onto Kagome's hand, the words fading from his lips. He waited, waited...was it working, was it doing anything? He felt no different... His palm stung, a bit, hand clasped tightly around Kagome's. Above him, the wind brushed though the trees, sending water tumbling down from the leaves. It was quite dark in the forest. Hours till dawn, and light...

And then... Rain fell on his face as a feeling of strangeness engulfed Sesshoumaru, took hold of him. His eyes widened slightly, and he hoped, hoped...

The bond had taken – he knew that much had to have happened, or this feeling of draining, of a connection, of closeness...that would not be growing, coming though his clasped hand without it.

Kagome...

He could feel the warmth spreading though him, radiating from his arm, where their two bloodied hands had mingled, the fingers tangled and entwined, trembling.

Sesshoumaru swallowed as a wave of fogginess, of white blur hit him – it had to be Kagome. He could feel her...the slightest presence barely intruding on the back of his skull. So much hurt...

There was no question; Sesshoumaru simply tried to will some of his own reserve of strength, his own ability of healing, back towards her. There was no thinking involved anymore; he just did, hoping, cradling the tiny form under the trees, away from the rain that fell on his face, away from the encroaching dark.

11111111111

Kagome's eyes went wide as the wave of warmth, and worry, worry for her, hit her. And with it came strength, strange, overwhelming, almost, a feeling of protection, of being protected, or wanting to protect in turn.

The fog that had overtaken her mind was roughly shoved back, and she gasped as what was going on finally clued in, as clarity struck like lighting, immediately illuminating the stark scene.

Sesshoumaru...was trying to save her by finishing what Damia had started. A bond...

Kagome smiled, slowly. Maybe now they could win, and get this over with... It felt very strange. She'd suggested it, and he hadn't wanted to. And now, he was the one doing things...!

Everywhere still hurt, but...she did not feel quite as weak, as woozy, as she had been. Kagome turned to face Sesshoumaru, realizing at the same time that she was wrapped – quite comfortably – in his long, furry tail. She'd been thinking it was a sleeping bag up till now. She had been quite out of it, she realized...

"Sesshoumaru?"

"Kagome?" Sesshoumaru peered at her, face still worried looking. Kagome shook her head slightly – she had never seen him so openly concerned before. Worried over her...she wanted to tell him sorry, sorry for making him worry, for not being able to do what needed to be done, sorry for everything...

What was most disconcerting was the fact that all this had just...happened. She hadn't expected anything of the sort from Sesshoumaru, and it was a bit...troubling to realize, as her mind emerged from fog, that he hadn't asked – he'd just done it. Or...no...he had asked... She remembered, dimly, through the night, through the dark and her aching arm...

Her arm.

It felt...better. It wasn't the sharp pain of a new wound – it was the dull throb of healing. And she was certainly thinking far more clearly. Kagome peered into the gloom under the trees, peered at the white hair of the figure beside her. She felt...glad. Thankful. Happy to be alive.

Kagome smiled softly. She had said, not so long ago, but what felt like forever, that she had made a choice, once. A choice even further back in time. And right or wrong, she was sticking with it.

She didn't mind at all. This didn't feel wrong, something that had happened without her consent. It felt...right. She fit so comfortably into place, right beside him...

Kagome surreptitiously patted her fluffy 'pillow.'

It was still disconcerting to realize what was going on, what she could feel continuing to change. The world rushed at her, and she jerked her head as the wind rattled the trees, as it echoed strangely, oddly, loudly in her ears.

Was it a storm...?

"No, it isn't." Sesshoumaru glanced at her, puzzled, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

He could feel a tenuous connection, strengthening, and feel his own strength fade away, gone to help Kagome. It felt...very strange, as though his hand, still holding onto hers, was full of tiny scratching needlepoints.

"The wind is so loud..."

"No, not louder than normal." Sesshoumaru brought his face very close to hers, eyes still worried, though his face was slightly calmer. "Kagome...? How... Are you...feeling better?"

And Kagome smiled up at him, eyes crinkled. She could feel him, feel his worry, the concern, just brushing the corners of thought.

"Yes. Yes, I am." She smiled wider. "Sesshoumaru, I..."

Further conversation was cut off, due to the fact that Sesshoumaru leaned forwards, and held her tightly, pressing her face into his shoulder.

"I thought...I was going to lose you."

Kagome blinked. He had been so worried...she could tell, and she hated to cause him worry like that. She had been so distant, so surprised, that she had had no time to react to her close brush with death. Now, it hit home.

She felt a little shaky, now, realizing how lose a call that had been. Her mom...Souta, Grampa...what about them? About her family here? They would have been heartbroken, and no one at home, except Hojo, would have really understood what had happened...

Kagome slowly reached around Sesshoumaru with her good arm, and held on as tightly as her shaky muscles would let her. "No – you won't. You're stuck with me." She smiled into his shoulder, and mved away, just enough to let her eyes scan his face.

Sesshoumaru smiled slightly, and held on a little looser. "The idea is not entirely unpleasant."

Kagome mocked huffed at him, before smiling and letting go, her good hand trailing down to her arm, fingering the bandages there.

It still hurt. A lot. But it was not the same kind of raw openness that a fresh wound carried. It was the dull ache of healing...and it was getting better. Quickly, too. It was almost like...youkai healing. Kagome grinned slightly.

Not a bad idea...youkai healing was a very nice thing right now...

She could still feel the connection between them, feel that she was living on borrowed strength. But that was okay. It was freely given.

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru." Kagome whispered softly , knowing he'd hear. 'Thank you, so much, for giving me a chance, for...for everything...'

There was no answers, but the soft, downy tail around her waist squeezed gently, and the relived smile never left his face. That was answer enough, from one who rarely allowed himself to smile.

Kagome could feel her eyes start to water, but her hand was busy, tying up the bandages. She blinked them away, angry – crying was silly, especially now, of all times. Clinically, she wondered; was this that post trauma stress thingy she'd heard about? Either way, it was silly, and annoying...she couldn't see...

Silly tears.

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Sesshoumaru swallowed as he smelled the tears, before he saw them He held on awkwardly – why was Kagome crying? He didn't like to see her upset...

A terrible fear set in. Had he...done something wrong by saving her this way?

"Kagome? Kagome? Don't cry...I thought..."

Kagome started laughing, a few hiccups thrown in for good measure. "I'm fine. Don't worry – I will be fine. I just...started crying. Silly reaction..."

Kagome held on tightly, and relaxed a bit, eyes staring up at the trees just barely visible though the dark above them, not caring that it was raining, that her miko's outfit was ruined with all the blood, not even thinking of Damia. All that really mattered was here, now - and whatever came, they'd deal with it.

Sesshoumaru relaxed, the faint, new, foreign-familiar sense of Kagome in his mind calm, content.

He breathed out, relived. She wasn't mad at him for doing this. She wasn't...

He could still see and feel, the damage she had taken, and the tiredness...but those would pass.

It finally occurred to him that he was tired as well – he had not been fresh to start with, and he could still feel his own strength flowing away, towards Kagome. He didn't really mind – he could spare it, and she needed it more than he did. Even with what he had done already, he doubted she could stand up on her own yet.

Distantly, he wondered how far behind them Damia was, but let it go for now – he couldn't move, or do much. There was no point worrying, only a need to watch.

With one ear open, Sesshoumaru stayed where he was, wrapped in warmth against the rain, and smiled in the dark. Beside him, Kagome lay with a tiny smile on her face.

The companionable silence of two who had no need for words enclosed them, for as long as the world would let them be.

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The chapter you were waiting for...one with Fluff...O.o

Wow... there's actually fluff. (Hopefully its tasteful, and not overtly sickly-sweet or OOC.)

'inochinotsuna wa inochinotsuna' – hopefully this means something like 'thread of life to (other)thread of life ' Apologies if this is incorrect – the above was what I wanted to say. It's been a while since I took Japanese, and I never took it in depth. Maybe in a few years I'll pick it up again as an option at the university.

Anyway…yeah. Less of a cliffie than before I hope? (grins) Ehe…and Kagome's near all better now! Yay! Ready to kick some ass, too, soon. (apologies for the 'slightly' warped sense of humor – I thought the threats-due-to-cliffie were kinda funny…if I've been through the gauntlet for not updating, then where does the next chapter come from? XD I wonder...)

Anyway. Yes. Thank you for the many, many kind reviews on the last chapter! I have never had so many people comment at once before – scary, but in a good way. I really appreciated them! (huge grin) I enjoy witting, but encouragement, or critical feedback, is hugely appreciated and motivational. Thanks!

Think I'm going to go back to matting all those pictures now...(has about 15 to do, I think...) maybe more...? I keep drawing more of them...